Steering columns have a wide variety of functions in motor vehicles. Firstly, they serve to fasten the steering wheel and to mount the steering shaft or steering spindle on the vehicle body. They also serve to fasten attachment parts, such as an anti-theft device or operating elements. The steering columns can partially also be adjusted mechanically or electrically in the axial direction and vertical direction, in order for it to be possible to adapt the position of the steering wheel to the requirements of the driver. Finally, steering columns are also to yield in a controlled manner in the case of an impact of the vehicle on an obstacle, in order to absorb impact energy of the driver onto the steering wheel and, as a result, to reduce the risk of injury for the driver. In the case of all said requirements, moreover, there is a requirement that steering columns take up a small amount of installation space, have a low weight, and operate without play and noise.
One possibility of designing steering columns to be inexpensive and light consists in the use of extruded profiles. Extruded profiles have the advantage of low production costs in comparison with high pressure die cast components.
Therefore, steering columns are already known from the prior art, in which steering columns extruded profiles are used. Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,609 B2 discloses, for example, a steering column, in which the steering column tube unit, more precisely the outer steering column tube, is produced from an extruded profile. Said steering column has the special feature that the clamping axle for releasing and blocking the adjustment acts on the outer steering column tube on one side and does not pass through to the other side of the steering column tube.
Document FR 3004154 discloses a steering column tube unit for a steering column, the steering column tube unit being manufactured from an extruded profile. The various required functional sections are, for example, fastening regions, guides for the adjusting function, bearing seats and attachment points for additional components.